andrew stout

I Talk With Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi

For Interview magazine online.

Toro y Moi’s second album is called Underneath the Pine and I’ve been listening to it daily for over a month. Chaz spent much of last year on the road. Judging by the new record, it seems he cozied up to lots of old European film scores and proto-disco records between gigs. Underneath the Pine is a funky and sonically fragile collection of songs. Which means, yes, you can dance and feel forlorn to it — depending upon the day of the week. Perfect pop, in other words.

Here’s an outtake from our Skype session last week:

ANDREW STOUT: Of all the musicians who say they’re indifferent to fame, I get the impression you really mean it.

CHAZ BUNDICK: We’re about to go to New York for a lot of press stuff. But so far for this album I haven’t had to do many photos. But the last album was a complete nightmare on tour — just photos all the time. At South by Southwest it was like clockwork, man. I was just a robot by the time I left South by Southwest.

STOUT: I think people who like to have their picture taken don’t realize how exhausting it is if you don’t. Just a real mental-emotional struggle and a bummer. Are you bracing yourself for press week in New York?

BUNDICK: I’m looking forward to a lot of stuff. We’re doing a lot of things we haven’t done before. And finally this is the first press I’m doing with a full band. I’m trying to progress away from the solo image. So I’m excited for that — to do things with friends that I’ve always had to do by myself.

Read the article here.

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